Drinking water dispenser



Feb, 25, 1936. A. GUDMUNDSEN fi y DRINKING WATER DISPENSER Filed Sept. 3, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet'l iNVENTOR ATTORNEYS Feb. 25, 1936. A. GUDMUNDSEN DRINKING WATER DISPENSER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 5, 1952 NVNTOR I 191451111 fiudmwmaaz M! 4710/ ATTORNEYS Feb. 25, 1936. A. GUDMUNDSEN DRINKING WATER DISPENSER Filed Sept. 5, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR flush fiqdmwnasen W 494 0 ATTO RN EY v Patented Feb. 25, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT-OFFICE DRINKING WATER DISPENSER Austin Gudmundsen, Wauwatosa, Wis., assignor of one-half to Rudolph L. Has che, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application September 3, 1932, Serial No. 631,600

12 Claims. (01. 62-142) The invention relates to devices for containing out departure from the broad aspect of the inand dispensing drinking water. vention.

According to the invention a container is pro- Referring now to the drawings, the drinking vided to which drinking water is supplied in the water dispenser comprises a body having an 5 form of pure water ice. Suitable devices, preferupper ice holding chamber, indicated by l0, and ably an electric heater, may be provided to melt a lower casing, indicated by 55. The ice chamthe ice to obtain water therefrom. If desired, a ber I has walls of suitable heat insulating mawarm water reservoir may be associated with the terial and its construction will be obvious to those container supplied with water obtained by melting skilled in the refrigerator art. The chamber I0 10 the ice. may be provided with a top lid suitably hinged A suitable dispensing button may be provided thereto for charging the chamber with ice. for dispensing the water. If desired, suitable If desired, a perforated bottom plate Il may mixing devices may be provided for mixing the be provided upon which the block of ice I4 may warm water and the cold water obtained direst. Located under the bottom plate ll maybe 16 rectly from the melting ice to secure a drink a second bottom plate l2 supporting a suitable of the desired temperature. electric heater I3 which may be in the form of 2. According to the invention, an automatic coil, as indicated. The bottom plate ll may be governing device may be provided for maintainomitted and the ice cake l4 may rest directly on ing a predetermined amount of water in liquid the heating coil I3, in some instances.

form in the container and suitable safety devices The block of ice l4 may be made of pure drink- 20 I may be provided for preventing burning out of ing water and may be of such size as to keep the heater when all the ice has been consumed. the container supplied with water say, for in- The invention also consists in certain new and stance, a day. These blocks may come wrapped original features of construction and combinaup in a suitable wrapping for sanitary reasons tions of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed. and, if desired, may have a bottom groove H4. 25

Although the novel features which are believed A Suitab e S a f 00rd, indicated y (Figto be characteristic of this invention will be pary be wound around the cake passing ticularly pointed out in the claims appended through the ove 4, as indicated. When the hereto, the invention itself, as to its objects and wrapping (not shown) is removed from the cake,

advantages, and the manner in which it may be the strand H5 permits easy handling of the 80 carried out, may be better understood by r cake so it may be placed within the chamber l0. ferring to the following description taken in con- After the Cake is placed in the dispenser, the nection with the accompanying drawings formstrand H5 may be untied, the groove I I 4 pering a part thereof, in which mi ine easy rem va Fig. 1 represents a front view of the dispenser; The heater I3 may be of any suitable construc- 35 2 is a Side View with parts broken aw y; tion well known in the electrical art. In the 3 is a Section 011 the i of form shown, it may be made up of a supply con- Fig. 4 is a section On the line of 3; ductor and a return conductor running parallel Fig. 5 is a sectio O the line of 4; the entire length of the spiral, both conductors Fig. 6 is a detail illustrating the dispensing and being encased in a Suitable t These mixing mechanism; and ductors may pass out of the dispenser through Fig. 7 illustrates a block of Ice for supplymg a suitable conduit 2|, these conductors being inthe dri Water. dicated by 19 and 20 (see especially Fig. 5).

In the following description and in the claims, For controlling the electricity supplied to the 5 various details will be identified by specific names heater 3 mercury switch l6 may be provided. for convenience, but they are intended to be as This mercury t h may b of n known generic in their application as the art will permit. t t n comprising a glass tube containing Like reference characters denote like parts in pair of t t i d d th supply of the several figures 0f the drawings. mercury 50 In the d w accompanying and forming The lead wire supplying the electric power to part of this specifi i n, Certain Specific the dispenser is indicated by l8 and supplies a closure o the invention ismade for p poses of connector I! from which one wire is connected explanation, but it will be understood that the directly to the wire 20, while the other wire, in-

details may be modified in various respects withdicated by I20, is connected to the switch I 6. The 55 other heater wire I9 is connected directly to the switch I6.

The switch I6 is mounted upon a pivot 22 to which an arm 23 is connected. Operating rod 24 connects arm 23 and a float lever 25 which is pivoted to plate I2 at 21. Ball float 26 is connected to lever 25 and is operated by the water collected in the reservoir H2 under supply plate I2.

To prevent burning out the heater when all ice is consumed, a safety device is provided. This comprises a button 28 connected to a rod 29 which supports a ring 3I under the ball float 26. A spring 30 normally urges button 28 upwardly so that, as soon as the weight of ice is removed, it will move upwardly, lifting the ball float 26 and opening the switch I6.

It will be noted that the switch I6, operating mechanism and wiring connected thereto, together with the ball float, controlling apparatus, .safety device and heater are all removable as a unit for cleaning and inspection purposes.

Disposed below the chamber I0 .and within the casing 55 is a warm water reservoir 32 (Fig. 2). The reservoir 32 may have suitable vertical fins 33 for increasing its surface so that the water therein may be warmed by the heat of the room, it being understood that the warm room air is free to pass within the casing 55 along the ribs 33. A pipe 34 connects cold water reservoir II2 with warm water reservoir 32 and, if desired, this pipe may be covered with heat insulating material 35.

For dispensing the water, a dispensing arrangement, shown best in Fig. 6, is provided. The dispensing arrangement is made up of a fitting 66 having a chamber 31 connected to cold water reservoir I I 2 by pipe 38. The fitting has a second chamber connected to warm water'reservoir 32 by pipe 39.

The fitting 60 also has a mixing chamber 6I provided with an outlet spout 4|. The walls of the chambers 31 and 40 are provided with valve seats communicating with the mixing chamber 6I. Resting on these conical valve seats are conical valve discs 42 and .43.

Connected with the valve discs 42 and .43 are spindles 44 and 45 passing out through the walls of the mixing chamber 6I. Springs 46 and 41, operating between abutments on rods 44 and 45 and the wall of the mixing chamber 6|, operate to normally hold the valves 42 and 43 closed.

On the outside of the dispenser is a casing 52 having an outlet 53 adjacent the spout 4I. Disposed in a hole in casing 52 is a dial push button 49 having an inclined swash plate 5I adapted to engage spindles 44 and 45. The push button 49 is normally held in its outer position by a spring within a hole in the push button operating against a spindle 48 secured to the wall of mixing chamber 6|.

If desired, the lower casing 55 may support a waste receptacle 54 for receiving wasted water. This waste receptacle may conveniently be provided with a bottom outlet valve by which it may be emptied from time to time.

It is thought that the operation of the above apparatus will be obvious from the description given above. When the chamber Ill is charged with ice I4, the weight thereof places the safety ring 3I in its lowermost position, allowing the ball float 26 freedom to operate. The casing walls are well insulated so that the ice melts very slowly. The cold water in reservoir II 2 must keep a predetermined height or the ball float 26 drops, closing switch I6, causing the heater I3 to heat up and melt sufficient ice to bring the water level in reservoir II2 up to its predetermined point.

This water also fills the warm water reservoir 32 which is kept warm by the air circulation from the room. When the ice is consumed, the safety device is allowed to 'move upwardly, the ring 3| en ing the float 25, holding the switch I6 in open. position thereby preventing the burning out of the heater or waste of heat.

To obtain a drink from the dispenser it is only necessary to push in the button 49. The swash plate 5I engages spindles 44 and 45 in a manner depending upon the rotary position of the dial push button '4 9.

As shown in Fig. 1, the casing 52 is marked with temperature indications and the push' button 49 is marked with an arrow. By turning push button 49 to the desired temperature, the valves 42 and a,

4.3 are openedsuch a distance as to supply the proper proportion of water of each temperature to give adrink of the desired temperature.

When thedial push button 49 is turned all the way in one direction to the temperature of 35, no Warm water will be obtained by operation of the push button. Similarly, when the dial indicates no cold water will be obtained by operating the push button. These are the extreme positions and the swash plate 5| is so arranged thatoperation of the push button only opens the one valve under these extreme conditions.

It is obvious that the invention has many advantages. To supply drinking water containers it is only necessary to supply a block of pure water ice. The troublesome bottles of drinking water used in the prior artare unnecessary. The dispensing push button arrangement permits a nice control of the temperature of the drinking water dispensed. Persons desiring somewhat warm drinking water may have it and persons desiring quite .cold drinking water may also obtain it.

The electric current necessary to melt the ice will obviously be comparatively small. Furthermore, there are no packed outlets and all operating parts are or" simple construction. The position of the electric switch and the extending cf the operating apparatus to the top of the ice chamber does away with any possibility of leakageof water.

The unit construction of heating coil, perforated plates, float, conduit, rod, linkage and entire switch box permits easy removal from the ice chamber for cleaning and inspection and repair purposes.

While certain novel features of the invention have been disclosed and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departingrfrom the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a drinking water apparatus a chamber adapted to hold a block of ice as a source of drinking water, an electric heater associated therewith, a switch for controlling said heater, a reservoir for receiving the water obtained by melting the ice and a control arrangement in said reservoir for turning off said switch after a predetermined amount of water has been melted.

2. In combination, a chamber adaptel to hold a block of ice, a heater associated therewith, a switch for controlling said heater, a reservoir for receiving the water obtained by melting the ice, float arrangement in said reservoir for turning off said switch after a predetermined amount of water has been melted, and a safety device for turning off said switch when the ice has been consumed.

3. In combination, a chamber adapted to hold a block of ice, a heater in the bottom of said chamber, a switch for controlling said heater, a reservoir under said heater for receiving the water obtained by melting the ice, a control arrangen'lent comprising a float in said reservoir and linkage connecting said fioat and said switch for turning off said switch after a predetermined amount of water has been melted, and a safety device comprising a spring pressed member on which the block of ice rests and another member engageable with said control arrangement for turning off said switch when the ice has been consumed.

4. A drinking water dispenser comprising a source of drinking Water in the form of ice, an electrical heater, means for energizing said heater for melting said ice, a container for holding cold water obtained from said ice, a second container for holding warmer water also obtained from said ice, and dispensing apparatus for mixing and dispensing water from said containers.

5. A drinking water dispenser comprising a source of drinking water in the form of ice, means for melting said ice, a container for holding cold water obtained from said ice, a second container for holding water obtained from said ice, which has been warmed, and dispensing apparatus for mixing and dispensing water from said containers.

6. In a combined dispensing and mixing apparatus, a source of a first substance, a source of a second substance, separate valves for controlling the supply of said substances, a single operating member operating said valves, and means whereby movement or" said member in one direction controls the relative amount of opening of said valves and movement of said member in another direction dispenses said substances.

7. In a combined dispensing and mixing apparatus, a source or" a first substance, a source of a second substance, separate push valves for controlling the supply of said substances, a push button operating said push valves, said button having a swash plate whereby the rotative position of said button controls the relative amount of opening movement of said valves caused by pushing said push button.

8. In combined mixing and dispensing apparatus, a source of cold water, a source of warmer water, first and second chambers supplied by said sources respectively, said chambers having first and second valve seats respectively, said valve seats communicating with a mixing chamber having an outlet, first and second valve discs on said seats, spring means normally holding said valve discs on their seats, an outer casing having an outlet adjacent said spout, a push button passing through said casing and having a swash plate at an angle thereto, and spring means normally holding said push button in outer position.

9. In combined mixing and dispensing apparatus, a source of cold water, a source of warmer water, first and second chambers supplied by said sources respectively, said chambers having first and second valve seats respectively, said valve seats communicating with a mixing chamber, a spout connected to said mixing chamber, first and second valve discs on said seats, spindles connected to said valves and passing through a wall of said mixing chamber, abutments on said spindles, springs between said abutments and said wall, an outer casing having an outlet adjacent said spout, a push button passing through said casing and having a swash plate at an angle thereto, a pin secured to said wall, said button having an opening receiving said pin and a spring between the bottom of said opening and said pin.

10. A drinking water dispenser comprising a. container for holding a source of drinking water in the form of ice, an electrical heater for melting said ice to provide drinking water, a container for holding said water, a dispensing device for dispensing said water, and means governed by the operation of said dispensing device for controlling the electrical energy impressed on said heater.

11. A water dispenser comprising a container for holding a source of water in the form of ice, a heating device for supplying heat to melt said ice to provide water, a dispensing device for dispensing said water, and means governed by the operation of said dispensing device for controlling the heat supplied by said heating device.

12. A water dispenser comprising a container having a part adapted to hold water ice, a second part for holding the water obtained from the melting ice, said water being in close thermal contact with said ice, a dispensing device, and means governed by the amount of said water for controlling the supply of heat to melt said ice.

AUSTIN GUDMUNDSEN. 

